1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to methods and systems that allow a mesh device to participate in multiple mesh networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mesh network is a wireless network configured to route data between mesh device nodes within the network. A mesh network allows for continuous connections and reconfigurations around broken or blocked paths by retransmitting messages from node to node until a destination is reached. Mesh networks differ from other networks in that nodes can connect to each other via multiple hops. Thus, mesh networks are self-healing: the network remains operational when a node or a connection fails.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) or Advanced Metering Management (AMM) are systems that measure, collect and analyze utility usage, from mesh devices such as electricity meters, gas meters, and water meters, through a network on request or a pre-defined schedule. This infrastructure includes hardware, software, communications, customer associated systems and meter data management software. The infrastructure collects and distributes information to customers, suppliers, utility companies and service providers. This enables these businesses to either participate in, or provide, demand response solutions, products and services. Customers may alter energy usage patterns from normal consumption patterns in response to demand pricing. This improves system load and reliability.
A mesh gate is an interface between the mesh network and a server over a wide area network (WAN). Each mesh device may associate with a mesh network and a mesh gate, leaving the mesh network vulnerable to a failure in the mesh gate. In addition, there may be limited paths between mesh devices within the mesh network.